Canadian mining company takes a step back

With the backing of the church, the people of Matagalpa opposed the mining site demanding a referendum.

The government of the Nicaraguan president, Daniel Ortega, made an unexpected announcement on Monday, October 12, stating it had removed the Tajo Pavon concession from the Canadian mining company, B2Gold, which had projected a mining site in the north of the country, in the Matagalpa vicinity, after it had considered the mining project as ecologically “non viable” following an analysis carried out by the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (MARENA).

The open-ended mining venture - the third of its kind in Nicaragua - had met strong resistance, not only from the locals, but from the church community who called for a referendum from the start of the company’s exploration for a site, nearly three years ago, on account of the harmful effects of mining on their local rivers, Yaska and Tuma. The bishop of Matagalpa, Monsignor Alvarez welcomed the news and considered it a “wise decision” adding that “a great victory for life” was reached through peaceful protest.

The national director of the mining company, whose investment totals nearly $3.5 million dollars on this project, stated that they are looking into the resolution, however will abide by whatever decision the government makes.

Meanwhile, Centro Humboldt, an environmental organization which has ties to the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and one of the major opposing forces behind plans to build a interoceanic canal by the Chinese company HKND, expressed its doubts over the government report stating that had their been a genuine concern for the environment “no other concessions should be issued”.

Just a few days ago, B2Gold announced a temporary stop in its operations of another site in Nicaragua due to violent clashes between police and mine workers, who in protest to the dismissal of three of their union leaders blocked access to the site.